Update: In-person services have resumed. We are doing in-person Lord's Day services and will be practicing the appropriate COVID guidelines for churches in Mariposa County.
July 8, 2020 - We are turning our attention to another well known miracle of Jesus Christ 
called, incorrectly, the Feeding of the Five Thousand or it might be titled Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand. Whatever the heading of the section is, if it has the number five thousand in it then it is incorrect. Thankfully these subheadings are not part of the original autographs or documents of Scripture but were added on to help us. In this instance, I’ll err on the side of good intentions and keep this Bible trivia nugget for times like this.
We see in Matthew 14:21 that more than five thousand were fed by Christ. Christ provides enough food for everyone and then some. This event takes place on the heels of Jesus hearing the news about the death of John the Baptist. We read of Christ withdrawing from the crowds and going to a desolate place by himself. That does not stop the crowds from following Jesus. He does not tell them to go away but instead we read he had compassion on them and healed their sick. There is no inner dialogue on how busy he is or how he is mourning therefore he can’t heal anyone. He does what Jesus Christ does. He heals.
Here come the disciples. They urge Christ to send the crowds away from the desolate place. They suggest the crowds buy food for themselves in town. Christ says that they, the disciples, should give them something to eat. The disciples list the provisions they had, five loaves and two fish. A small amount of food. Pretty insignificant portion when talking about feeding a crowd but yet Christ is given the supplies and is able to feed all there. There is even twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
Christ provides. As surely as he is able to provide for the physical needs of the crowd, he provides the spiritual needs to us. We look at the cross and hear the words “It is Finished”. Christ has bought you with his blood and freed us from the bondage of sin. That is the Gospel truth that we must come to constantly to quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger. The Gospel truth put simply, through Christ your sins are forgiven. You are forgiven.
Wynter is an Elder at Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church. Find out more at MariposaChurch.org or email him at wynter@mariposachurch.org. Visit Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church on Facebook.
Pastor’s Corner is a column from Pastor Wynter Sturtevant III of the Mariposa Reformed Baptist Church.
The Church has moved locations, services are now held at the Bootjack Stompers Hall (located at 4662 Morman Bar Crossing) across from the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.
Time of service is at 10:00 A.M. on Sunday.
I am happy to announce that MRBC has its own sermon podcast. Please check it out by clicking on the link below or searching MRBC Sermons on iTunes. New sermons will be posted every Wednesday.
https://mariposachurch.transistor.fm/episodes
Note: Area churches interested in submitting Articles of Faith are welcome to contact us.
Please email the Sierra Sun Times at sst@goldrushcam.com for more information.
